Science in the Dark at 1 Hotel South Beach

Every month, 1 Hotel South Beach turns down the lights for a candlelit evening in the lobby of their resort. It’s all part of a Dark Sky event series to raise awareness about the concept of global brightening. Global brightening occurs as urban areas generate light pollution that impedes our ability to see stars at night, and can sometimes affect local wildlife. As urban areas grow, global brightening intensifies.

This month, Frost Science joined the Dark Sky programming with our “Science in the Dark” presentation, which illuminates (pardon the pun) the mysteries behind objects that appear to glow or light-up. The presentation looks at how each state of matter reacts differently to stimuli such as electricity or ultraviolet radiation. Guests and passers by in the hotel lobby were able to explore fluorescent minerals and liquids under a black light and get hands-on with our plasma globe to see how generally invisible noble gases can transform into dynamic colors when charged with electricity. We also demonstrated how invisible gases come to life with the use of a Tesla coil from our spectroscopy kit—a method scientists use to determine what gases stars are made of millions of miles away! All in all, it was not your average hotel lobby experience.

To learn more about our “Science in the Dark” program, please email our Community Engagement Manager, Daniel Mannina, at dmannina@frostscience.org. And be sure to visit 1Hotels.com for information on their ongoing slate of unique community events.

Media Galleries

Science in the Dark at 1 Hotel South Beach

Most items simply reflect light, but these minerals absorb it and then radiate colors only seen under a black light!

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Science in the Dark at 1 Hotel South Beach

Guests get hands-on with our plasma globe, learning how generally invisible noble gases can transform into dynamic colors when charged with electricity.

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Science in the Dark at 1 Hotel South Beach

Solids aren’t the only state of matter that demonstrate fluorescent qualities with ultraviolet light—certain liquids do too! The beaker on the left contains tap water and fluorescein; the beaker on the right holds tonic water with quinine (an antimalarial).